ZAGREB, 21 Nov, 2021 - Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter on Saturday evening condemned in the strongest terms the violence and assaults against TV crews that were covering the march organised by anti-vaccine certificate protesters in Zagreb earlier in the day.

Šimonović Einwalter said in a press release that she condemned attempts by demonstrators to prevent reporters from doing their job while they were covering the rally in Zagreb's main square.

She also urges the authorities, including the law enforcement authorities and the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor (DORH), to thoroughly investigate the incidents and violence so that perpetrators can be held to account. In this way, the society will receive an unequivocal message about zero tolerance to violence against anybody, particularly against persons who do their job in the interest of the public, Šimonović Einwalter said.

The freedom of expression and particularly the freedom of he press is guaranteed by the constitution, she recalls.

Freedom of assembly and the right to to peacefully assemble do not exclude other human rights and they also do not justify verbal, physical and other violence, she writes in the press release.

A reporter of the RTL commercial broadcaster, Goran Latković, was attacked by two unidentified persons from behind as he was covering the rally, and they slapped him across the face twice, while a third person hit him in the rib cage.

Also, Nova TV and HTV crews were verbally assaulted at the rally, while a group of protesters took Al Jazeera reporter Nikolina Zavišić's microphone as she was reporting live.

On Saturday evening a group of protesters moved from Zagreb's central square to the part of the city where the HRT public broadcaster is located, demanding to see the HRT director and have their rally covered live and calling for an end to "censorship" by the HRT.

Dissatisfied with the way the HRT covered their protest in the central city square at 3 p.m., the protesters shouted "We want elections", "Referendum and people's rule", "Thieves", "Treason", "God's law is above all laws", demanding to see the HRT director and have their rally covered live. "This is no vaccine, this is poison", someone in the crowd could be heard saying while some protesters said the world was ruled by "Bill Gates, Talmudists and Soros's followers".

The protesters were met by riot police, with a dozen police vehicles blocking access to the HRT building.

Violence against reporters condemned by office-holders, associations, political parties

The Croatian Journalists Association (HND) and the Croatian Journalists Union (SNH) on Saturday strongly condemned an attack on RTL reporter Goran Latković at the protest, demanding a prompt police investigation and calling on the government to unequivocally condemn the incident.

The attacks by protesters on media workers were also condemned by the government spokesman, the minister of culture and the Office of the President.

The Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) said on Saturday evening that the freedom to assembly did not include the right to violence and said that the attacks against reporters "resemble dark times" and called on all the political parties to stand up for the protection of the journalistic profession."

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ZAGREB, 20 Nov, 2021 - Researcher Gordan Lauc, a former member of the government's Scientific Council, said on Saturday evening that he had not called for protests against vaccinations and COVID certificates in his social networks posts and that he did not feel responsible for the incidents during the protest.

Lauc told the the Nova TV broadcaster on Saturday evening that he actually said in his posts that "COVID certificates are wrong. I told the vociferous majority that their voice should be heard. That they should share my post, that they should write to media outlets to the government, that they should turn out at protest rallies in line with law."

He went on to say that it was not him who called on people to join the protest rally held in Zagreb on Saturday afternoon against vaccines and against COVID certificates and underscored that he did not feel responsible for the incidents which had occurred during the demonstrations organised by anti-vaxxers when protesters were trying to prevent reporters to cover the rally in Zagreb's main square.

Lauc said he was sure that 99.9% of demonstrators had expressed their dissatisfaction in a peaceful and legal manner.

He added that every form of violence, both verbal and physical, should be condemned.

"Things should be settled through institution, the system, the exchange of arguments and by making logical decisions."

He said that the decision on the COVID certificate mandate was wrong. The measure was designed in the European Union, when we believed that the vaccinated people could not spread the virus.

This creates a false feeling of security, Lauc added.

While claiming that the vaccination against coronavirus would not lessen the strain on hospitals, he admitted that he was fully vaccinated after he had recovered this infectious disease.

He explained that he had received two shots to make it easier for him to travel abroad and also due to the fact that he had underlying conditions.

"Vaccination will not halt the spread of the pandemic. Getting vaccinated will reduce the risks of vaccinated individuals. All of us will caught the virus," he said.

Lauc used to be a member of the government's scientific think tank, however, the government decided to dismiss him from that body, after he said that he was against the mandatory COVID certificates for entry into state and public institutions.

The Croatian Chamber of Physicians and some members of the said think tank already warned about controversial statements made by Lauc and the chamber welcomed the decision to relieve  Lauc of the membership of the government's scientific council.

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ZAGREB, 20 Nov, 2021 - The municipal court in the Karlovac on Saturday fined a German reporter for having tried to illegally cross from Bosnia and Herzegovina into Croatia with a group of irregular migrants, the local police reported.

The group of eight foreigners, including the 44-year-old German journalist, was caught by the Croatian police while trying to illegally enter Croatia near the town of Cetingrad, and on Saturday, the reporter was taken before the magistrate who imposed a fine of 3,600 kuna (€480) on the offender.

The court upheld the charges for illegal crossing but dismissed the police charges that the German reporter had helped irregular migrants in illegal border crossing. The police said they would appeal the dismissal of those charges.

Apart from the German reporter, the group included four adult migrants and three minors. After they were caught, they said that they would request international protection in Croatia.

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November 21, 2021 - John Malkovich performs at Lisinski Hall in Zagreb this December in 'The Music Critic,' a comic performance insulting some of the greatest musical works.

Debussy, Brahms, and Schumann are just some of the great names of classical music composers that Hollywood actor John Malkovich openly says are - a handful of misery, reports Vecernji List.

Of course, it is part of a comic performance called 'The Music Critic,' which comes to Lisinski Hall in Zagreb on December 4. It combines theater, music, and comedy, mixed into a performance in which the main narrator, Hollywood actor John Malkovich, will enter the role of a sharp music critic and deliver salvos of unpleasant comments about these great composers. The whole concept was designed by Aleksey Igudesman, who will accompany John Malkovich on violin with the ensemble during his performance.

Although John Malkovich is insulting in this work, the original intention is not to resent but to realize that there are people who do not like something that is considered a masterpiece. While working on this project, Igudesman used drastic examples from Nicolas Slonimski's Lexicon of Musical Insults. Lisinski will resonate with comments such as "unnatural, disgusting music" and the like, and this performance has already succeeded in many other cities, where it received a standing ovation from the audience.

Malkovich claims that the author Igudesman is a very bright guy, but he believes that this work is still in its infancy and that it is better and more interesting with each new performance.

Insults, although packed into a comic performance, are not always met with approval. Thus, Turkish director, critic, and actor Nedim Saban wrote in his critique of the play that it was too late to deport Malkovich from Turkey since he had already packed his suitcases and left. In his criticism, he begged the authorities there never to allow Malkovich to perform with what he called a poor show. Malkovich has no problem with criticism. On the contrary, he argues that critics should do just that - criticize. In his own words, he was trying to get into the role of the strictest critic and merge all the critics into one place in a humorous way. This was not a particular problem for him, given that he also played much more dangerous characters.

It is interesting to point out that Malkovich, a famous actor known for his numerous roles in Hollywood, is, in fact, of Croatian origin. As he says, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro can also fight for him, but he feels like an American. He once visited the village where his grandfather allegedly lived, but he does not feel the nationality of Croatia since he has spent his whole life in America.

Lisinski Hall is grateful to INA for its support as the golden sponsor of this event. This is nothing unusual, considering that INA has proven to be a great friend of culture and cultural development in Croatia since its beginnings. Thus, it supports over 10 important events for local culture, such as Đakovo embroidery, Vinkovci autumn, and many others. 

"INA has continuously provided support to cultural and artistic institutions for years, and we have a special friendship with the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall. 'The Music Critic' by John Malkovich is just one in a series of performances that we have supported, contributing to the diversity of the cultural scene in Croatia. By investing in cultural content, we also have a positive impact on the quality of life, and we will continue to do so in the future," said Tamara Karagity, Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing at INA.

INA proved to be an accessible and socially responsible company during the devastating earthquakes in the most challenging moments for the whole of Croatia, including the cultural sector. At that time, INA donated a little more than 2 million kuna to cultural institutions. The company's management said they had high awareness and respect for culture and cultural institutions and were particularly affected by the loss of numerous cultural features of the city of Zagreb. Therefore, the donated money was used to renovate the most urgently needed cultural institutions.

In addition to rehabilitating the earthquake-stricken institutions, they helped numerous Croatian theaters, and thanks to their sponsorship, many plays were performed in various Croatian theaters. Their awareness of the importance of culture is apparent if we consider that INA is one of the founders of the Foundation of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. For all previous collaborations, especially at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, the directors have only words of praise and more than positive experiences. 

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November 21, 2021 - The 2022 Croatian tourism year is already promising, with hotel reservations and increased flights from April. 

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that although it seems that everything related to tourism in Croatia for this year is over and the accounts are complete, tourism professionals are not sleeping. This winter, fortunately, is full of work. Some parts of the season are already showing that reservations are up by 20 percent compared to previous years, and the most sought after are holiday homes and five-star hotels. Instructed by the high demand last summer, tourists have accelerated their decision to travel next year and are already booking their trip to the Adriatic to make sure there are enough beds. There is currently no lack of optimism but also caution among tourism professionals.

Even in the middle of the quieter autumn months, reservations are slowly arriving for 2022, occupancy calendars are filling, and everyone involved in sales must set a sales strategy, prices, and reservations for 2022. 

Prices scattered from low to high last year, which did not go unnoticed by guests. However, international partners have already settled capacities and prices on the Adriatic with large hotel systems, while large internet platforms and agencies through which private renters work already know their prices for the next season. 

"In planning the 2022 tourist year, we must be prudent and smart in the pricing policy; one should not get carried away by this year's demand because every next year is a new story that starts from the beginning. What we did in 2021 is one thing, at some point, we were practically the only country in the Mediterranean where we could travel, while what awaits us in 2022 is a lot of question marks and unknowns. And we tend to take off, convince ourselves that we are the best and most sought after, and tailor the prices accordingly. But, it doesn't work, this year the guests saw our weaknesses, lack of manpower, improvisations, poorer service. Top service in the highest accommodation categories is still the most sought after and the fastest to book. Still, it does not make even 10 percent of our capacity, while most hotel and family accommodation is in the mediocre category and wants to have high prices. That will not work in 2022," one long-term hotel professional estimated about the current situation.

According to the latest European Travel Commission (ETC) study, 66 percent of Europeans plan to travel by March 2022. For the first time in a year, travel plans are evenly distributed over the next six months. Recent research shows that after sacrificing socializing, traveling, and having fun for a long time, travelers want to make up for the time they haven’t been able to spend on holiday for the past two years. If something does not change due to the pandemic, business plans say that hotels on the Adriatic will open in April 2022, when the first numerous rotations in air transport from Europe have been announced.

The current interest in Croatia was confirmed at the recently held largest world tourism fair WTM in London, where airlines announced new and increased routes to Croatia next year. 

"We received excellent announcements for next year from the representatives of Jet2.com, our most important partners in the British market, which brings us the largest number of British tourists with TUI. Furthermore, partners for next year announce increased demand for Croatia and a larger number of airlines. Still, we all have an important task because the basic precondition for a successful tourist season will be a stable epidemiological situation," emphasizes CNTB Director Kristjan Stanicic, announcing further promotional activities and projects aimed at positioning Croatia as a quality and safe tourist destination with a rich offer.

Richard Owens, development manager at easyJet, says that they achieved excellent results in Croatia this year and almost entirely returned to the trends from 2019. As a result, they plan to increase capacity and introduce new flights to Croatia next year. At the same time, Frank Broersen from TUI expresses satisfaction with the demand for Croatia, expecting the continuation of positive trends and further recovery of the tourist market next year.

This currently good position of Croatia on the tourist market will seek confirmation in 2022, but many circumstances will undoubtedly be more unfavorable for Croatia. Currently, Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, which recorded a massive drop in tourist traffic last summer, are recovering rapidly. Moreover, with an increasing number of vaccinated Europeans and mandatory Covid passports, which will be almost ubiquitous in the travel industry in 2022, their expectations are high to bring back travelers, especially those that discovered Croatia as a replacement for these tourism superpowers.

"Preparations for the next tourist year have begun. From today's perspective, it is quite clear that in 2022, safety will be one of the critical conditions when choosing a destination for travel, while the realization of the season will largely require the provision of a quality workforce. In these crisis years, we have higher-quality quality facilities to achieve better results. Still, people are key to maintaining the status of Croatia as a high-quality destination in the Mediterranean," says Veljko Ostojic, director of the Croatian Tourism Association.

According to the eVisitor system, 683 thousand guest arrivals were recorded in October, with 2.2 million overnight stays. Given that the post-season was interrupted last year due to a significant deterioration in the epidemiological situation, this year's figures in October are higher than last year's. Compared to the record 2019, the number of tourist arrivals in October this year is 61 percent of the results from October 2019, while the number of overnight stays is 70 percent compared to October 2019. In the first week of November, 31,649 foreign tourists stayed in Croatia, with domestic guests from Austria (4,980) and Germany (4,004), who achieved a total of 122,656 overnight stays.

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ZAGREB, 20 Nov 2021 - RTL television reporter Goran Latković was attacked during a protest against mandatory COVID-19 certificates in Zagreb on Saturday while covering the event.

At the protest, which draw several thousand people from all around the country, Latković was attacked from behind and he sustained two blows to the head, rib cage and elbow.

As he was attacked from behind, the reporter did not see his attackers.

He confirmed to Hina that he would report the incident to the police.

The RTL television reported about the incident involving its reporter.

ZAGREB, 20 Nov 2021 - Protesters against COVID-19 certificates on Saturday evening moved from Zagreb's central square to the part of the city where the HRT public broadcaster is located, demanding to see the HRT director and have their rally covered live and calling for an end to "censorship" by the HRT.

Dissatisfied with the way the HRT covered their protest in the central city square at 3 p.m., the protesters shouted "We want elections", "Referendum and people's rule", "Thieves", "Treason", "God's law is above all laws", demanding to see the HRT director and have their rally covered live.

The protesters were met by riot police, with a dozen police vehicles blocking access to the HRT building.

Some of the protesters demanded to see the editor in chief and that the protest be broadcast live, claiming that the HRT "cannot be a factory of censorship" and that "the HRT is lying to the Croatian people, spreading fear and enemy propaganda."

Claiming that they did not want to force anything on anyone and did not want others to do it to them, and shouting "We want truth" and "People rules" and singing patriotic songs, they continued to demand a response by the HRT, saying that "people want to say what they think" and the public broadcaster has the duty to report about it.

"This is no vaccine, this is poison", someone in the crowd could be heard saying while some protesters said the world was ruled by "Bill Gates, Talmudists and Soros's followers".

An HRT employee told the protesters that there was no one in the building they could talk to, to which they responded with shouts however the protest continued mostly without incidents and around 8 p.m. the protesters started to disperse.

ZAGREB, 20 Nov 2021 - Thousands rallied in downtown Zagreb on Saturday afternoon for what so far is the biggest protest against COVID-19 certificates, with those who addressed the rally saying that no contagion could threaten Croatia more than the corruption and crime that have infected its government.

The protest in the city's central Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića square started around 3 p.m. when two columns of marchers, who previously gathered in two other squares, Trg Francuske republike and Trg žrtava fašizma, came together in the central square. Police escorted them to the central square. 

The rally ended around 5.30 p.m. when the organisers called on the protesters to disperse peacefully.

However, some of the protesters headed towards the public broadcaster HRT's headquarters instead, where they sang patriotic songs and demanded to talk to the HRT leadership and be interviewed live.

No major incidents were reported during the protest in the central square, however, RTL television reporter Goran Latković was attacked and a group of protesters took an Al-Jazeera reporter's microphone.

As the protesters were shouting "No to certificates", "Crisis team, leave" and "Plenković, leave", speakers addressed the rally one by one, warning that COVID-19 certificates heralded open totalitarianism.

Protester Andrija Klarić, who addressed the rally first, said the protesters came from all parts of the country. "There are no divisions, no left or right, we are all one."

At his invitation, the protesters symbolically voted in two laws abolishing COVID-19 certificates and prohibiting the adoption of new laws on the certificates.

A man who greeted the protesters on behalf of students said that students had been with their people in 1971, 1991 and 2021, warning that the country was threatened by one of the worst kinds of totalitarianism ever and asking Prime Minister Andrej Plenković why he was hiding behind the coronavirus crisis management team.

"You were not given your freedom by Plenković or his crisis management team, nobody gave you your freedom and nobody can take it from you," he said.

The next speaker, who said that she was a doctor, called the testing for coronavirus war profiteering and opposed "fascism and segregation".

One of the speakers said that citizens were being denied freedoms and human rights and that that would only contribute to the spreading of COVID-19 among the most vulnerable groups.

"We are all different but we have the same goal - a free Croatia," he said, advocating the freedom of choice.

Some of the protesters waved Croatian flags and carried banners with messages such as "I believe scientist Gordan Lauc", "No to blind belief in authorities", "Live and let others live", "For freedom and freedom of choice".

They called for abolishing COVID-19 certificates, claiming that citizens who do not have the certificates are being unconstitutionally and unlawfully excluded from public life and prevented from going to work or school.